Interesting topic. (At
this time I was still working with using the concept ‘bunkai’ which I later
abandoned for more accurate to me description of what was taking place. But
this does not change the intent of this piece.) (But much of this reflects
views as I saw them ijn 2004. Some of those views changed over time.)
Consider I was not teaching Isshinryu for any purpose but
the practice of Isshinryu. I did not define the training for exercise, self
defense or sport. Of course all of those can be accomplished from the training.
But the goal was to just train and learn as the decades passed.
From my perspective after teaching youth for about 26 years
now I don't change the curricula for youth or adult. Essentially in my program nobody studies
application of the kata until after shodan and then its a long gradual process.
On the other hand I'm continually demonstrating why their
kata must be done in exact format, by demonstrating some of the application potential
for the techniques. I'm really starting
to learn kata could have been made unchanging if the instructors of the past
had really gotten into the head of their students as to why their version of
Patsai was done in as specific manner.
[Of course this is one of life's quandaries. Was the true
lesson the path of mutability behind the kata and not unchanging structure?
Beats me!]
There are real mixed messages as to what karate was and
ought to be from my perspective. If the stories are anyway near correct
showing beginners much about kata application potential was not the way it was
studied on Okinawa. In similar light I can't in all serious use any Japanese
terminology to describe the non-verbal approach of the Okinawan arts,
preferring application potential to bunkai as a personal trait.
That a more complete understanding of any technique can yield
dozens of application is true. On the other hand it isn't rational that anybody
needs more than skill at a hand-full of techniques to stop any attack.
There's a lot of puzzlement there isn't there?
Training people for a while, and trying to learn myself as
time passed I think the critical piece of the puzzle is skill of the student.
Not just being able to do a technique, but having the skill the presence of
mind to actually accept its application potential against the pressure of the
attack is not something that can be passed along in a short time, regardless of
the student's age.
I strongly suspect in the past, from frustration of trying
to teach what people weren't ready for, instructors discovered that don't press
the application instead work on true skill development was a more rational way
to develop an advancing student.
From that approach instead at beginner (non-shodan) levels
of training I stress a hand-full of
parry and counter strikes, a hand-full of grab releases, a hand-full of
tactical kicking applications and for the pre-shodan students a hand-full of
aikido insertions and locks/projections.
More intent on their ability to fit into somebody and counter strike
them, more intent on their ability to counter being grabbed, and some
techniques to begin building more advanced skills.
Reality time, most of the youth will NOT be doing karate for
life. The successful instructor loses 100% of them as they become successful
young adults and move on to what their destiny holds. Giving them some sound
skills they can draw on forever is the stronger answer.
And for those who find a different path, there's the rest of
a life to explore what karate has to
offer.
Of course in Isshinryu we don't follow the path of the
Pinan. But regardless of what you can or can't do with them, do you really
think Itosu really meant them more than an initial stepping stone for students.
Do you think he felt they should replace advances study for life of Chinto,
Kusanku, Gojushiho or the other advanced kata?
I very strongly am coming to believe one kata may be the
correct answer for some, but that one kata should also be a real fire breathing
dragon of a kata.
On the other hand any one technique is unlimited isn't it.
I recall that Patrick McCarthy once wrote that karate might
be translated as empty hand with empty being the empty infinity of space. I always
liked that infinite hand.
An infinite number of kata with infinite variations.
Or an infinite number of things that fractal analysis shows
is possible with any single technique.
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